There are about 2,000,000 individuals infected with the hepatitis C virus (hereinafter abbreviated HCV) in Japan. Chronic hepatitis occurs in about 70% of infected individuals, a part of which is considered to lead to the onset ofhepatic cancer 10 to 20 years later. Such chronic hepatitis can be treated effectively with interferon (hereinafter abbreviated IFN) α or β. However, the efficacy of IFN α/β has been reported to vary greatly depending on host and viral factors.
Taking into account the substantial side effects associated with IFN treatment, the prolonged treatment period and the high price of the treatment, treating a patient with IFN for whom successful results are not expected creates not only distress for the patient but also a substantial waste of healthcare money paid by the patient or the nation. Accordingly, there is a significant need to develop a method for estimating whether or not successful results can be expected in an individual patient with a particular IFN therapy.
Thus, an object of the invention is to provide a method for estimating whether or not successful results can be expected in an individual patient with a particular IFN therapy.